10 Ways to Stay Inspired

The other night, I was working on a project. Around 9 or so, I got tired and decided to shut my computer down and go to bed for the night. At night time, I put my phone loud just in case an emergency was happening and I need to be able to hear my phone. Well ding my phone went as soon as I cut the light off and laid my head on the pillow. It was my brother and I knew it was him because he has a distinctive text tone. I thought what is he doing up this late at night, he’s usually asleep by now, so of course it triggers me to get up and go check out the text. He’d sent me a link to an article, “Ellen Pompeo, TV’s $20 Million Woman, Reveals Her Behind-the-Scenes Fight for “What I Deserve” | Hollywood Reporter“

I read the article in its entirety, however the only thing that stood out to me was this paragraph, “The result: Pompeo’s new pact will have her earning more than $20 million a year – $575,000 per episode, along with a seven-figure signing bonus and two full backend equity points on the series, estimated to bring in another $6 million to $7 million. She also will get a producing fee plus backend on this spring’s Grey’s spin-off as well as put pilot commitments and office space for her Calamity Jane production company on Disney’s Burbank lot.”

I texted my brother and asked, “Where do I go wrong in life?” I’m literally living paycheck to paycheck and sometimes have to choose between getting gas or groceries. And he replies, “You’re still young with no kids. ITS NOT TOO LATE! 30 year old Jasmines struggles and/or successes will be determined by what 24 year old Jasmine does.” It immediately triggered me to get up out the bed and begin working on my project that I was just working on. Can I pause and tell you guys a story? So, every since November, I’ve been working on a Stationery Line, coming up with designs, brand logo, etc. I had everything saved on a flash drive. The night before my brother sends me this text message, I went in to go upload all my files onto a website so that I can get a prototype of what I am currently working on priced and made, but OF COURSE, my flash drive would could not be recognized. I hooked up it up to my personal laptop and to my work laptop and NOTHING. I honestly had a nervous breakdown and COULD NOT STOP CRYING. I started thinking all of my struggles and how I was upset that this happened because I see myself as being the next Lily Pulitzer, Wink Wink Co., Rifle Paper Co., mintgreen or just one of those stationery companies that’s sold inside of TJ Maxx/Marshall’s or Walmart/Target. However, after a hour or so of crying, talking to God and listening to some Gospel music, I got myself together and I started everything over from scratch and even came up with a different idea for what I had been working on.

Anyone, my brother saying that it’s not too late for me and that what I do now will take care of me once I am 30, made me motivated and determined. My brother also told me that he’s enrolled back into, although this is his 5th or so enrolling ‘back’ into school. But his plans are to eventually go and get into Nursing School and be done by 2020, take a couple of years off and go back to become a doctor. And although he has gone back to school and not finished SO many times, I have complete faith in him. This is our year to get started on the things that we want in life and that’s what this blog post is about. How to stay inspired when you’re feeling uninspired to accomplish your goals.

Write down your ideas. Yes, write them down. Every single one. It’ll help you, keep on track with your thoughts and ideas so that you don’t forget them and two, it’s a way of holding yourself accountable of the ideas you have written down and getting them implemented. Write now, I currently have a lot of my ideas that I have planned for my stationery business written down and pinned to my bulletin board.

Change your routine. Maybe you’re not feeling inspired to change or grow because you’re doing the same routine over and over again and you’ve become complacent with your life. I know I’ve gotten to that point, I wake up, go to work, go to the gym, come home eat, take a shower, and watch a show or two before bed and repeat. On the weekends, I’d wake up, go to the gym, eat, go to a store or two, eat, watch TV and repeat. However, I’m realizing that maybe I should go to the library or to Starbucks instead of going to the gym so that I can feel inspired to get things going as far as my goals. Go to an art museum, symposium or join a group to switch things up a little. When you have a change of scenery, you become more inspired.

Declutter your space. This is also very important. Sometimes, my apartment can be a complete mess. When my apartment is a mess, I feel a mess and don’t feel like doing anything. However, once I clean my spot up, I feel more refreshed and like I can conquer the world.

Pin Up Motivational Prints. The article that I mentioned and linked above, has definitely been printed out. Articles on stationery companies and how they got started are pinned on my bulletin board. I’ve also found advice and steps on how to get the ball going on my business as well, pinned up. Motivational quotes are all around my house, you guys know how in Being Mary Jane, Mary Jane had sticky notes all around her house with affirmations? Me. Guilty AF.

Read a book or magazine. Just like a lot of people can get invested in a TV Show and want to become an actress, producer, or director (or am I the only one who gets inspired to do one of the three while watching TV?), you can become inspired by the books or magazines you read. If you’re reading a book about happiness, you may get inspired to take some tips from the book and become happy or if you’re reading a magazine, you may become inspired to be a journalist or blogger.

Discover new music. Discovering new music is honestly one of the best feelings in the world. Spotify, which I definitely recommend and prefer over any other music streaming app, to include iTUNES, is a great music source for playlist. As I’ve mentioned before HeyFranHey has a couple of playlist on Spotify and each of them have introduced me into new music, new artists, new talent, new creatives who have all inspired me to get some get up and go about myself.

Collaborate with others. This one is extremely important. I will admit, that I lack in this area of collaborating with others, but I think it’s extremely important because if you’re not feeling inspired, but whoever you’re collaborating with is, they can have a positive affect on you causing you to become inspired. Also, they may have some ideas that can help you out or some connections that you may need in order to do whatever it is that you’re looking to do.

Go Somewhere New. A new and unseen scene can definitely inspire you. Something in that new scene that you’ve never seen before can spark you to do something new or trigger something in you to become motivated.

Don’t Give Up. This is also extremely important. When I had my nervous breakdown, I definitely felt like giving up on my stationery dreams. I felt like, maybe my flash drive stopped working for a reason and that this isn’t the route for me to go. However, I didn’t give up and I actually came up with different and possibly better ideas for what I want to do.

Have fun. No matter what you do in life, don’t give up on your goals and dreams!! You never know what may turn out from them.